The Danish Metal Awards, DMA, have now been running for a few years and the event is growing bigger and bigger for each year. This year’s award show took place at Amager Bio in Copenhagen and the purpose with the award is to honor Danish metal/hardrock acts. The Danish metal scene is becoming stronger and stronger and many Danish acts are about to break through in the rest of Europe and the world. There were 9 categories with 5 acts nominated in each category. The night was totally sold out since weeks ago and that was something we noticed when we came in to the venue.

Besides great beer and people did the award show also include live performances by 4 of the hottest Danish acts in Mnemic, Hatesphere, Volbeat and Evil Masquerade as well as one performance by the Swedish metal act Soilwork.

Master of ceremony was the national radio host Carsten Holm and when we arrived to the venue the event had already begun, the queue into Amager Bio was really long but luckily could we follow the show on a big screen projector that broadcasted the show outdoors.

The first act of the evening was Evil Masquerade who seemed to have a really great time on stage at least from what we could see from outside. Just by looking at the band we could feel the heat, the sweat and the tension that filled the air inside Amager Bio. Singer Apollo and bandleader/guitarist Henrik Flyman did a great job on stage and I think the crowd enjoyed the performance as much as the band did. All the performing acts had 15 minutes on stage and unfortunately we only caught half of the last song.

When we finally got into Amager Bio we noticed that it was a standing audience and Carsten Holm stood upon a small stage in the back of the hall. Right in front of him and at the opposite side of the venue was the huge stage were the bands performed.

A few awards were given out before Hatesphere went on stage. Besides the original guitarist all the members are newcomers in the band and the big question was how the new singer sounded. Well, it all went brilliant and the young singer did an amazing job. Their 15 minutes flew away and it almost felt too fast. Time flies when you’re having fun. The award for best cover art-work went to Anubis Gate, which in my opinion have done one of the better albums this year. The honorary award went to the late promoter Erich Thomsen who took many of the greatest bands of all time to Denmark for the first time. He brought Thin Lizzy, Led Zeppelin, and Kiss and AC/DC amongst others to Denmark so his award was well earned.

Then it was time for Mnemic to enter the stage to blow our minds. They delivered a solid performance and their modern thrash metal felt both heavy and explosive. They also won the following award which was given to the best metal production and the guys ran in a hurry to collect their trophy.

Invisius won the category METAL TALENT OF THE YEAR award and the price was, besides a statuette, 10 000 Danish crowns to launch their career and a guaranteed spot at the Roskilde Festival 2008.

Volbeat was the next band to perform and finally we could see one of our new favorite acts live. Volbeats new album ROCK THE REBEL/METAL THE DEVIL are one of our top ten albums of this year and the band was just as heavy and strong live as on album. It was only to watch and enjoy the bands brilliant Elvis metal.

Then came the evenings big highlight when Jacob Bredahl came out to hand out the award for the best international album. The nominated acts were Type O Negative, Down, Deftones, Neurosis and Machine Head. The winning act was Machine Head for the album THE BLACKENING and Amager Bio went first quiet and then crazy when Rob Flynn and the band came down from the balcony to collect their award. Flynn thanked the Danish fans for their loyalty to the band and he said that the award meant a lot to the band. Denmark had a special place in Flynnâ€™s heart when he grew up he said, and thatâ€™s because one of his favorite acts came from Denmark â€“ Mercyful Fate. And the fact that Lars Ulrich from Metallica grew up in Denmark didnâ€™t make it worse.

There was a video shown on the two big screen TVâ€™s that were hung up on both sides of the venue and after that Volbeat came up to accept their first award for the evening which was metal album of the year.

It was a really nice evening with great music and a terrific venue. It was a great atmosphere and if we have the opportunity we definitely will return for the 2008 DMA. If you by any chance are in Denmark next year when DMA takes place, please visit the show. The show was recorded by MTV and will be aired on Headbangers Ball Denmark.

Here is a list of all the winners of the evening.

METAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
Volbeat – Rock The Rebel/Metal The Devil

METAL DEBUT OF THE YEAR:Pitchblack – Designed To Dislike

METAL PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR:Mnemic – Passenger

METAL TALENT OF THE YEAR:Invisius – Edge Of Hostility

METAL VIDEO OF THE YEAR:
The Psyke Project – I Get Paralyzed

METAL COVER ARTWORK OF THE YEAR:Anubis Gate – Andromeda Unchained

METAL LIVEBAND OF THE YEAR:Dawn Of Demise

INTERNATIONAL METAL ALBUM OF YEAR:
Machine Head – The Blackening

HONORARY PRICE:Erik Thomsen

Thanks to head of press for Danish Metal Awards Peter Erecius for help with press/photo-pass this evening